Optical switch

Abstract

An optical switch includes a first connector holding an end of at least one optical fiber and a second connector holding respective ends of at least two optical fibers. The optical switch further includes a sliding mechanism faces a connecting surface of the first connector and a connecting surface of the second connector each other, to optically connect between the at least one optical fiber held in the first connector and one of the at least two optical fibers held in the second connector, and slides the connecting surface of the first connector and the connecting surface of the second connector relative to each other with keeping a facing state, and a spacer mechanism for preventing the respective end faces of the facing optical fibers held in the first and second connectors from contacting each other, or from contacting the connecting surfaces of the first and second connectors, respectively.

1 . An optical switch, comprising:
 a first connector including a connecting surface and holding an end of at least one optical fiber, an end face of the at least one optical fiber being exposed at the connecting surface of the first connector;   a second connector including a connecting surface and holding respective ends of at least two optical fibers, respective end faces of the at least two optical fibers being exposed at the connecting surface of the second connector;   a sliding mechanism for facing the connecting surface of the first connector and the connecting surface of the second connector each other, to optically connect between the at least one optical fiber held in the first connector and one of the at least two optical fibers held in the second connector, and for sliding the connecting surface of the first connector and the connecting surface of the second connector relative to each other with keeping a facing state, to optically connect between the at least one optical fiber held in the first connector and an other of the at least two optical fibers held in the second connector; and   a spacer mechanism for preventing the respective end faces of the facing optical fibers held in the first connector and the second connector from contacting each other, or from contacting the connecting surface of the second connector and the connecting surface of the first connector, respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The optical switch according to  claim 1 , wherein the spacer mechanism comprises a sheet member interposed between the connecting surface of the first connector and the connecting surface of the second connector,
 wherein the sheet member is formed with a through hole in a portion thereof where the respective end faces of the facing optical fibers are exposed.   
     
     
         3 . The optical switch according to  claim 2 , wherein the sheet member is formed to have such a thickness that a spacing between the respective end faces of the facing optical fibers held in the first connector and the second connector is not less than 5 μm and not more than 15 μm. 
     
     
         4 . The optical switch according to  claim 1 , wherein the spacer mechanism comprises the connecting surface of the first connector and the connecting surface of the second connector, which are tilted at different angles, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The optical switch according to  claim 4 , wherein the connecting surface of the first connector and the connecting surface of the second connector are tilted at such angles, respectively, that a spacing between the respective end faces of the facing optical fibers held in the first connector and the second connector is not more than 15 μm, excluding 0 μm. 
     
     
         6 . The optical switch according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a guide pin provided to one of the connecting surfaces of the first and second connectors; and   a guide hole formed in an other of the connecting surfaces of the first and second connectors,   wherein the guide pin is inserted in the guide hole, and when the connecting surfaces of the first and second connectors are slid together, a sliding direction and a sliding distance are restricted.